"I want my album to be about"...says Erin at a recent meeting with Asha.

She’s eager to put it together, but not even close to psyched to go through the selection process….”There’s so much pressure! I have to get it right. I’m afraid that I will hurt someone’s feelings, and face it, there are so many good ones, I have no clue”. This is what Sue said to me last week, but somehow, she is not different from most of us wanting to get it right– this time we are talking about the album.

Every couple is different. Some know exactly what they want in their album. Some are lost. And some are somewhere in between. So, I present to you… the….

Getting-It-Right Album Process:

1. Album Quality:

You have spent months preparing for the wedding day, you photographer has spent 8hrs+ photographing you, the editing is another 10-20hrs (for thorough photographers), and then the album is the final place holder for the story and all the work everyone put into the day. No other way of saying this, get the best- we want your album to be around so you can show your grandkids!

I recommend that you ask about print, binding and cover quality (as well as fun options if you are not the traditional type).

2. Select the images that go in the album:

My recommendation is to play a hand in this process. You have a very emotional relationship to the images, and nobody is going to feel what you feel when you see them.

* If you know what you want and can do it decisively, do it. Get someone to bounce off a few “not sure” selections.

* If you know you are overwhelmed: either ask your photographer to choose them or schedule a meeting to go over them with the photographer or their design staff. If your photographer is selecting the images, make sure you have the option to edit the album free of charge. They typically have software that can rate the images and make the process very easy. Trust me!

3. Getting Clear: The overwhelming feeling comes sometimes from wanting to please other people or fear that it won’t come out right. Relax. First of all, if you have done your homework, you are in good hands. You will have people who are experts at design and bringing your vision to print. The truth is that you do know what you want, it is just a little clouded by the anxiety and fear. So, how to get to what you want?

A simple exercise:

* Make a list of what is important to you for this album. I want this album to be about…. Don’t think about it too hard, just jot it down and be done. Star the one that is most important. Done. Every time you feel uncertain, take a look at the list. The list will be your navigation tool.

* Get very clear whether this album is for you or your parents. Most parents help so much in the wedding process and we want to be gracious, and here are some ideas of making sure everyone is happy: There are always options to make unique parent albums, and if the parent albums are replicas of yours, then large prints are always a nice gift.

Enjoy the process- it’s the best! As a Boston Wedding Photography team we see each wedding as an art project, and the album, the album is the gallery show!

Asha Ramakrishna is a writer and Director of Business Development at DMPJ. She makes sure the vision of each client is materialized in the wedding photos & album process. She’s Glen’s partner and wife. They stay on their toes due to two little girls who have more energy than an energizer bunny, and they are crazy about traveling to far away lands as a family. For more visit, www.travelingfamilycircus.com and www.visualreportage.com

And yes, Asha does coordinate albums vision and design for other photographers who don’t have as much fun as she does with the process.

Kudos

"If the wedding photos are anything like the engagement photos we know we're gonna be thrilled. Thanks for taking the time to really "get" us. - LIssa and Brian, Cambridge, MA

"The pictures are breathtaking and we've been gushing over them all day! Our family and friends are truly amazed - you are a genius at what you do. You were really able to understand our personalities and idiosyncrasies, and capture us in moments where we're just being us. We feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with and get to know you over this past year. Your friendship means a whole lot to us, and we don't think we're ready to accept that this process is over! We hope you'll stay in touch...They are our most cherished gifts from the best day of our lives!"
- Elyse and Adam, Philadelphia, PA